Contrast
by mychicken
Summary: "Goodness speaks in a whisper, evil shouts" Constructive criticism is much appreciated! Give me a chance? :)
1. Good morning

**AN: This is an attempt to write a semi-good story, so don't be too hard on me. Constructive criticism and ideas are welcome and will be much appreciated. If you don't like the story – don'****t be too rude expressing it! I've read hundreds of stories, some of them bad, some of them good and I **_**do know **_**that mine doesn't come close to any of them, however with a little bit of encouragement it could get better ****. I'll do my best, so the story doesn't end up being Mary Sue shit. Cheers to you all! **

**=) **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Batman/The Joker/Gotham etc.. **

"You've got 5 minutes until you're on, miss Douglas." A young boy said and closed the small room's door. Brandy smiled and put on her lipstick. She really loved her job. Being a talk show host was her dream ever since she was just six years old and here she is twenty years later, living the life she's always yearned for. Brandy got the idea for the show a couple of years ago, when Batman first came around. She loved the thought that a single person would go out of his way to do good for others, in a way. She thought that the masked knight gave an excellent example of pure good nature. So now Brandy is hosting a show about everyday heroes. Most of her colleagues made fun of her silly idea. As if there were any good people left in Gotham! Nobody expected the show to be so successful.

" It's time, miss!" The same boy came into the room and gave Brandy a little smile.

" Thanks, Bobby. Well, let's go." She straightened her dress and set out to the studio. Excitement and contentment filled her body as she glanced at the audience, a small smile creeping on her lips.

" OK, we're rollin' in three, two, one."

" Good morning! It sure is good, isn't it? " She said with a chirpy voice. "The sun is shining, there isn't a single cloud in the sky and I just know you're putting on your smiling faces. Our special guest today is proof how an unfortunate hindrance can turn you into somebody's hero. Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome Mark Johnson!" The audience applauded the man, who seemed to be in his mid-forties. Brandy made her way to the comfortable couches that were settled in the center of the studio, shaking hands with her guest.

" So Mark, would you like to tell our spectators your fascinating story? "

The guy shrugged, obviously being a little shy, clearing his throat and nervously playing with his hands. After he told his story Brandy asked him a few other questions and then the audience sent him off, cheering his name.

" Wasn't that refreshing? You can count on a random citizen to change your life and in a positive way! Good's in everyone, it's just waiting for you to discover it." She believed in those words with all her heart, she knew that everyone could be good if they just tried a little harder. " It's time for my personal favorite part of the show, so if you want to share what kindness you did today, yesterday or any other day - feel free to dial the number shown on your screen." The smile never left Brandy's face, she really liked this part of the show. Hearing random stories about good people always gave her hope for Gotham, the state, even the country. Frankly, if good overpowered the crime in Gotham, it would serve as an example to the whole world. If Gothamites can be good, then everyone can.

" Oh, we have someone on the phone!" She exclaimed.

" Hello? " An insecure voice filled the studio.

" Hey, would you like to share a story with us? " Brandy asked.

* * *

He woke up all of a sudden, something roughly interrupting his slumber. He groaned as he was already feeling irritated. The morning showed no indications of being different than any other. He sat up, his eyes investigating everything that surrounded him. The walls were marked with various stains, some being impossible to specify, mould settling in the corners of the dirty window. Cobwebs hung from the ceiling, the draught making them tremble slightly. He scratched his head, his hand getting caught in his tangled curls. His fingers slowly traced the scars on his face. An imperceptible smile crept on his lips. It soon disappeared as he heard the annoying cackle of a few of his henchmen nearby. He cracked his neck and knuckles and grunted. He stretched out and headed to the bathroom. It was tiny for a guy like him, in fact it was tiny for anyone. He looked at his reflection in the small, dusty mirror. His make up was messy, the white paint missing, except for the small traces left on his nose. The black around his eyes had faded to gray, but his lips were still covered in scarlet, underlining his macabre smile. He was tired, he didn't get much sleep and he woke up early. Rubbing his temple, he tried to guess the time. Around 9 a.m. , possibly 10. He washed his face, clearing it from the left over paints. Laughter filled the warehouse again and he emitted a loud snort. He rushed out of the bathroom, out of his so called bedroom and into a more spacious room, where his henchmen were. They were sitting in a row, watching an old television set. He sat on a chair nearby.

"_ Ahem. _" he cleared his throat rather forced. The men turned around simultaneously.

" Oh, boss, um " One of them started mumbling. " We were just watchin' this show. It's hilarious. This chick- " The guy chuckled " She's babbling about kindness and shit, ya know, like how everyone could be good. " The guy said with a girly voice and started laughing hysterically, the others following his lead.

The Joker's eyes narrowed and he stared at the TV screen. Random people were talking to a woman about the good things that they've done. Some old lady was telling a story about how she gave money to a homeless person, another one was explaining the plus sides of being good and how wonderfully magical would the world be if there was just no crime and everyone loved each other. He ignored the ridiculous assertions coming from the TV and drifted off to his own thoughts. He had escaped from Arkham weeks ago but he hadn't done anything yet. He certainly had the energy and the motivation, nevertheless he didn't know what to do. And it was completely interfering with his usual self. He looked up at the TV again. Didn't those people think before talking? Humanity was rotten in it's core.

" I completely agree with you, if people were more patient and understanding, there wouldn't be so much violence and crime in our city. Being good is natural, it's based in the roots of humanity. It's fundamental. " the show host stated after finishing a conversation with someone on the phone. The Joker grunted. The woman's opinion utterly contrasted with his. She lacked a trustworthy basis to support her thesis, but what else could one expect from someone who radiates naivety. Her belief in goodness was sickening, he concluded.

**AN: It's short, but I know exactly how to continue in the next chapter. Yay or nay? This was just to show the contrast between my original character and The Joker. And he is NOT going to kidnap her, fall in love with her and change, because she's just oh so sexy. Yeah, just thought I'd make this clear. Well, that's it from me. **

**=)**


	2. Wrong  Right

**AN: A big thanks to N****iveia and XPsychoBabyDollX . Also, this is my version of the Joker, so I apologize if it doesn't match with yours. **

_One week later_

He was genuinely bored. Escaping from the asylum was fun, but the effect was wearing off. Without Batman to tease he had nothing to do. He couldn't just go out in the streets and kill random people like a bloodthirsty animal, no, he had to have a purpose. He had to think of something entertaining enough to keep him going until the caped crusader came back from wherever he was. He grunted, it was 4 in the morning and he hadn't had any sleep. He went to the so called living room and turned on the TV. Imagine him, The Joker, watching TV, because he had nothing else to do. This was below him and it was making him wrought-up. He stared at the TV screen, narrowing his eyes. Wasn't that the chick who talked about the benefits of being good? They were repeating the show from last week. _Pf_. He grunted to himself but left it on anyway. She was completely naïve and infected the gullible minds of viewers, he thought.

" Good's in everyone." Her words made him growl, she was so wrong and was practically deceiving Gotham's citizens. Good wasn't in everyone and he proved it all the time. In fact he'd prove it again. He got an idea how to distract himself from boredom until he could find out how to provoke the Batman to show up.

" Isn't it great, guys? Let's give our thanks to officer Peralta for doing such a good job. And to all the other men and women of Gotham's Police Department." Brandy said sending off the cop. Suddenly a ringing sound filled the studio. She looked at the cameramen, who were just as confused as her, there were at least three minutes until they accepted phone calls. She inhaled quickly and cleared her throat. " Oh, we have someone on the phone! Hello? "

" Well hello to you, too! " A cheerful voice filled the studio, though it sounded rather faked.

" What would you like to share with us? " Brandy smiled. _They must've forgotten to inform me that we'll skip the commercials.  
_  
" An opinion. "

" Sure, go on."

" Hmm. You said that goodness is in everyone, am I righ_t_? " Brandy opened her mouth to answer, but was interrupted. " Of course I am. How about a little game? _I bet_ that in 24 hours I can _show_ just how good there is in a random person, " The voice sounded downright malevolent and commotion crept into the studio. Guys from the technical team were trying to end the connection, alas to no avail. " – and _my_ random person is you! " The man started laughing. A sound so horrific, it sent chills through Brandy's body.

" I'm not sure w-what you mean, sir. " Brandy finally interrupted his laughter.

" Ah! Sir! So poli_te_! " The man mocked her, but that's not what worried her most. His words sounded like a threat and his cackle was sinister, making it clear who he was. She honestly hoped that it was just somebody impersonating him, trying to make some kind of a joke. She looked at the audience's seats, where some of the people were trying to exit the studio. " Oh and by the way, " He started matter-of-factly, " shouldn't dear officer Peralta be doing his job, looking for _me_? " And with that the conversation ended.

The cameramen made a sign that Brandy should end the show. She swallowed hard and tried to smile.

" Uh, that's it for today, folks! " She looked at her watch, trying to think of an explanation why the show's over half a hour early. _Brandy, you don't need to explain, everyone heard the conversation. _" See you next week! "

The viewers in the studio were all dispatched. Brandy rushed to the technicians.

" What was that? " She asked worriedly.

" Listen, we know just as much as you do. It could be just a prank call but we've informed the police, just to be sure. " A man said.

Brandy went home. She went in her house, quickly taking off her shoes. _It was probably an imposter, I mean, if he wanted to do anything to me he would've already done it. But he did say 24 hours. Thankfully, I'm not working tomorrow, so he can't reach me. And he doesn't know where I live.. What if he does? _Thoughts were racing through her mind, she was contemplating different scenarios until she concluded that she's safe. She had talked to the police and they told her they'd send someone to guard her for the night. But from what she knew the Joker was dangerous and very persuasive, he could easily get her address. She had a headache and her heart was pounding rapidly. What if he already knew where she was and was just waiting for night to come? She decided that it's best to go to a friend's house for tonight. Brandy looked at her watch. _16:50. I guess I have enough time to take a bath and change. _So she did it. Then she called Sophie, a friend of hers, and told her what was going on. Sophie knew, apparently she'd watched the show this morning, so she agreed. Brandy sighed, all this was incredibly foreign to her. Never, not even once in her life, did something bad happen to her. She was a happy child, she had loving parents, friends, money. But this.. this was new, this was interfering her life. She checked what the time was. _18:45 _She scolded herself for staying so long in the shower. She looked outside the window and saw the police car parked across the street. She sighed in relief. Brandy got dressed and put on her shoes. She turned around and inspected her house. She wanted to remember where every single thing was, so if someone came in her home and went through her stuff, she'd know. Brandy opened the door and gasped. She stepped back. A tall man was standing on her doorstep. Giving him a second look she saw he was a cop.

" Officer, you scared me! " She said, brushing a hand through her hair. She emitted a barely audible chuckle.

" Going somewhere? " The policeman said. His voice sounded very familiar to her. Suddenly he lift his head up and grabbed her. Brandy looked at him, his unmistakable scars were curving into a malicious smile, his grip tightening around her small wrist. She tried to scream but he put a hand over her mouth and muffled her shrieks. Brandy struggled, she was kicking, scratching him with her free hand but it was all useless. He was stronger than her, it took no genius to figure that out. He shoved her into the car and dropped on the seat next to her. The Joker pulled out a pair of handcuffs. The second Brandy saw them she started screaming and thrashing, as if it could help her. He grabbed her hands and in a second the handcuffs were locked.

" What do you want from me? " She cried out. _This isn't happening! _Tears were running down her face. " Please, let me go. Please, I haven't done anything wrong! Why are you doing this? What are you going to do to me?"

The Joker turned to face her. She was already begging. How pathetic. He ran his tongue over his teeth, as if cleaning them.

" I just want to play a game with you. " He answered with a childish note in his voice.

Brandy was immensely scared, she'd seen what he did to people. He was a cold-blooded murderer and killed innocent people for no particular reason. And she was going to be just another of his victims, dead before she even got the chance to try to save herself. These thoughts sent chills down her spine. She looked at him. The Joker was casually whistling and humming to himself, like abducting people was the most common thing.

The car stopped in front of an abandoned warehouse. The driver and the Joker stepped out of the vehicle, the latter gripping her shoulder and dragging her out and into the building. They entered a room where six guys were holding two other men. One of them was swearing like a trooper and the other was whimpering and begging for his life. The Joker dropped her on the ground next to the men. She noticed a camera across the room. _What the hell is that for? Is he going to record how he's killing us? _

" Hey, where's that motherfucker going? " The bigger of the men held hostage spoke when he saw the Joker leaving the room.

" You shut your mouth! " One of the Joker's goons said and punched the man straight in the nose. He mumbled something in what Brandy thought was Italian.

The Joker returned in around thirty minutes, free from his policeman uniform and in his full trade-mark clown visage. His freshly applied make up made him look ominous, the black paint around his eyes deepening his dark gaze, the white making every lurid line stand out and his red smile, never leaving his face, was delivering a death sentence.

" You bastard, I'm gonna skin ya alive for this, you little piece of shit! " The Italian started yelling.

" That's no way to speak in front of a _lady_! " The Joker said mockingly.

" What are you going to do to us? " Brandy's voice was hoarse.

" What am _I _going to do to _you_? The question _is_ what are _you_ going to do to _them_! " He emphasized on the last word, snarling.

Brandy was confused. _What does he mean what am I going to do to them? I'm not doing anything to those guys! What? _The driver was standing near the camera and when the Joker motioned to him, he took it and started recording.

" Come 'ere, girlie! " the Joker said to Brandy.

_No. There's no way he's killing me first. No, no, no, no. I don't want to die._

" Please, don't kill me. I don't wanna die! " She was weeping. The Joker made an offended look.

" I would never! " He said dramatically. " Stand up. " He commanded, his voice changed. Brandy obeyed immediately. The driver directed the camera at her.

"What's your name? " The Joker asked. She was startled at the casual question. He tilted his head expecting an answer.

" Brandy. " She was quivering. So this was how fear of the unknown felt.

" And what do you do, Brandy? " His eyes were shining with mischief.

" I-I'm a talk show host. " She almost whispered those words, she was so afraid, she didn't understand why he was asking her these questions.

" And wha_t_ do you talk about in that show of yours? " He seemed eager.

Brandy wondered if she should answer that. What if she says something wrong? But it was better to answer because he was getting impatient.

" A-about good people. " Brandy stated quietly.

The Joker burst into laughing as she didn't understand the ridiculous situation she was in.

" Are you a good person, Brandy? Answer honestly and you'll get a _treat_! " He said joyfully as he waltzed to a nearby table. She heard a gun load and her heart skipped a beat. If she didn't answer, he'd kill her, she was positive.

" Yes. " She swallowed hard.

" You _are_? He he he ha! " He said lively. " _Show_ me" The Joker insisted and tossed her the gun. Brandy looked at it with fear. She'd never seen a gun, except on TV. She didn't know how to use it. And what was he giving her it for? Did he want her to shoot herself? He walked over to the Italian man.

" This .. man here, " He started " – this man here works for the mob. " He said and patted the man on the head. He mumbled something but the Joker kicked him in the groin. " Do you wanna know what he did? " His eyes glistened with excitement as if this was the most amusing thing ever. " He killed people for money! " He started chuckling. Brandy remained silent.

" He has to be punished! And seeing that _you're _the only," He swallowed as if what he was about to say was stinging his throat "- _good person_ here, it's only _fair_ that you do i_t_." He spat out the last words. The Joker looked at the weapon in her hands.

" What? What do you m-mean? " Brandy stammered.

He rolled his eyes in exasperation. " I m-mean _kill him_! "

" I can't kill him! Are you insane? I-I can't kill a human being! " She was shocked.

" Kill him _or_ .. he'll kill _you_. " He menaced. " Trust me, he won'_t_ hesitate to pull the trigger. "

" You can't ask me to do that! I-I .. " Brandy started sobbing. _This is unbelievable, I can't do such a thing. This, this is insane. This man, he can't possibly want me to do that. I have to get out of here._

" I'm not _ask__**ing.**_ "

The Joker was running out of patience and her little sob fest was getting on his nerves. He took the gun from her hands and gave it to the so called killer. Brandy's heart was racing, she was feeling sick and tired. All she wanted was to go home and forget about this.

" NO! " she shouted to everyone's surprise.

The Joker kicked the gun out of the Italian's hands . " Yes? "

" Um, uh, I, " She had no idea what to say. Brandy didn't want to kill the man, even though he had killed people. There were legal ways to punish him, he'd go to prison, killing him would only make her like him.

The Joker walked over to Brandy and handed her the gun. He leaned to her and whispered in her ear " Do it. " He said it so softly as if he wasn't spurring her into murder.

" I can't.. " She cried quietly.

" You wanna know how many kids are now orphans because of his _job_? Fifteen!" He yelled the number and she slightly jumped. "Doesn't that make you sad? Don't you want those children to feel _relieved _that their parents' _murderer _got what he deserved? All you have to do is _pull _the trigger! "

Brandy was staggering. The man was a killer, if anyone killed her parents, she'd also want revenge. If she didn't shoot the guy, he'd certainly shoot her. Brandy really didn't want to die. Without any more thinking she took aim and pulled the trigger. The bullet shot right through the Italian's neck, blood spattered everywhere.

" No, oh my god, oh my god, w-what did I do! " She screamed and dropped the weapon. _What did I just do? No, no, I didn't mean to, no, no. _Brandy felt her conscience slipping away and the last thing she heard was the Joker laughing frantically.

**AN: Read and review, please! I know he kidnapped her and I said he wouldn't buuuuuuut it's not going to turn out in the common way. I apologize for ****typos and grammar errors. **

**=)**


	3. Bang bang

**AN: Thank you, Sithlord8665, Vanessa-v and to all the other people who read my story. I'd appreciate ****it if you leave reviews. Don't be shy to let me know what you think, I could use a few opinions on the Joker. **

The men watched as the limp body of Brandy Douglas fell on the cold floor with a loud thud. The Joker found this extremely overwhelming and his ceaseless cackle jingled through the warehouse.

" Are you – " He said, trying to catch his breath ", are you getting this? " He asked just before he burst into a new wave of terrifying laughter. This whole situation was just _so_ funny, enough to keep him entertained at least. The driver nodded in respond to his boss's question, holding the camera over the girl's motionless figure.

The Joker stopped laughing and leaned over Brandy, still panting quietly.

" Rise and shine, Brrrandy! " He yelled in her face, growling her name.

As he saw no reaction to his demand he slapped her cheek hard enough to wake her up and leave a pinkish vestige on her face. She furrowed her brows, dissatisfied with the pain. Brandy opened her eyes quickly adjusting to the room's luminescent light and focused on the figure above her. She felt flustered for a second but soon regained recollection of the current events. _What have I done? _She looked to her right where the gun was laying next to her. Brandy quickly moved her hand away, as if the weapon would bite her. She glimpsed upon the dead body nearby, laying in a pool of blood. _Oh no.. _Suddenly the girl fell a firm grasp pulling on her hair, lifting her up. The Joker released her and started clapping mirthfully. He looked at the camera, slowly approaching it.

" Well ladies and gentlemen, you can trust your _wonderful_ host here to keep you entertained! " He said grinning. " I turned Gotham's Miss Goody-two-shoes from her _exceptionally_ good self to a – " He paused to look at her shaking body, her eyes begging him to stop humiliating her. The Joker titled his head slightly and continued. " tsk, _pardon_ me, I'm stealing all your spotlight! " He said mock-apologetically and grabbed her shoulder. He dragged her to where the improvised cameraman was and held her elbow firmly. Brandy was whimpering. _Please, stop.. Just leave me. _His voice cut her thoughts – " Now, where was I? Oh yes, " The Joker grinned. " – I turned this supposed _angel_ into a selfish murder**er**, but wait, " He wiggled a finger. " there's _more_, folks! " His chuckle frightened her. More importantly – he proved his point and she helped him do it.

Brandy claimed that goodness is in everyone and here she is being a victim of her own words, her own beliefs. She killed a person to save herself. _It's understandable. No, it's not. _Her conscience was pricking her, she was confused and regretful. Brandy was no different than any random murderer, because no matter the circumstances, she killed a human being.

" Snap out of it, darling, you haven't heard the _best_ of it! " The Joker said slapping her playfully. Brandy looked at him with pleading eyes. " This is my favorite part of the show! " He said, a huge smile spreading on his face. He was clearly mocking her and showed no indications to stop. " Ladies and gentlemen, I _proudly_ presen_t_ to you my random citizen! " he said and pointed at the other man, curled up in a ball still crying quietly.

_What the hell is he up to now?_ One of Joker's goons untied the man's hands and dragged him to where the camera was. He was shaking, sheer terror was written on his face. _No way I'm shooting another man. I have to get out of here. Think, Brandy, think! _The Joker walked over to the man and tugged his head back.

" Listen, _pal_. " He started whispering into the guy's ear. " I feel your pain, I really do. And I'm not leaving you to that.. that _monster_ over there, " The Joker motioned to Brandy. " cause she is .. " He paused to think. She was nothing, a zero just standing there, trembling and crying. He certainly gave her airs by personally proving her wrong. Shaking these thoughts away he continued. " She is merciless and will deceive you to think she's a, a _good gal_. But before you know it.. " He made a dramatic pause. The man was shivering with pure dread. " BANG! " The Joker yelled. " And you're dead. " He said in the calmest voice and shrugged casually.

Brandy watched as the Joker pulled another gun out of his pocket and gave it to the man. _What is he doing? _

" I'm giving you the o_pp_ortunity to do what _she_, " He spat out the last word " did to the poor guy over there. " A massive grin spread on his lips and he muffled a laugh when he saw Brandy's startled expression. _You didn't expect that, did you, cupcake? _He thought to himself. Ah, it was moments like these that he lived for, moments when people held on to dear life and showed who they really are.

The man took the gun in his shaking hands. " A-a-and then you-you'll let m-me go, right? " He stumbled. The Joker nodded joyfully.

" No, mister, don't do it! " Brandy spoke " Do you really think that if you kill me he's going to let you go? Remember who he is! Has he ever shown mercy? How many people have been as close to him as you are now and survived? " She wasn't going to beg. She simply stated the irrefutable facts and counted on the man to realize that the Joker wasn't going to let him go. Or at least, not until he was psychically damaged and emotionally scarred, of course.

The Joker tilted his head, this was sort of interesting. The man just stood with the gun in his heads, trying to contemplate the situation he got in. Should he kill the woman? What was going to happen if he didn't? The Joker, as if reading the guy's mind, started talking quietly in a soothing voice.

" I will let you go. At least to prove our little miss how wrong she is again. And if you don't do it " His expression rapidly changed to a threatening grin. " I'd make you _wish_ you were _dead_. " He walked over to Brandy and gripped her neck and hands. " Here, I'll even hold her _still_ for you. "

But the guy did nothing. He was just standing there, pondering his options.

" C'mon, c'mon, do it. " Brandy heard the Joker whispering to himself.

And in that second she saw that look in the man's eyes, that let her know he was determined to kill her. The Joker had double-crossed yet another person and it was going to cost her life. She tried to wiggle her way out of the clown's hands in vain. What had she done to deserve this? A click was heard and Brandy took a deep breath.

Nothing. Absolutely nothing. The henchmen looked at each other in confusion, merely shrugging. She felt as the Joker's attempts to suppress his laugh failed him and he burst into giggles which quickly became loud, frantic laughter. He loosened his grip on her neck and hands and bended over, barely breathing.

" Well .. " The Joker wiped a tear out of his eye " you're one _lucky gal_, Brandy! " He patted her head as if she was the sweetest puppy alive. He walked over to where 'her' gun was laying and took it. " It's ah .. _your_ turn. " He handed Brandy the weapon.

" I'm not going to kill him. " She stated quietly. She didn't want to kill the guy.

" Oh, but .. ah" The Joker approached her with his head tilted slightly, like a predator stalking it's prey." You _are_. " He stated. He wasn't going to be patient anymore.

Brandy swallowed hard. He was making her chose between her own and a stranger's life, because he knew that she'd already made a choice. Because after all she is only human and every single human being held a hidden love for themselves.

" I-I can't, I'm sorry, this is just.. just inhumane." She was going to die now, Brandy was sure. The Joker would kill the guy anyways.

The Joker walked over to her and seized the gun from her hands. The man and Brandy watched carefully his every move. Mumbling to himself " Must a guy do everything by himself? " he aimed and shot the man right between the eyes. Brandy gasped in shock and felt a new wave of tears rush down her cheeks.

" Ya see what you made me do? " The Joker asked bluntly.

Brandy was speechless, she'd made him angry. _What now?_ She was shocked and scared, nothing could stop the Joker from killing her now. What was she going to do, could she say something? Silence filled the room as the Joker paced around. The cameraman stopped recording, waiting for his boss's orders.

" Take _her_ in the back room. "

" Wait, wait, ah .. " Brandy said timidly. " Why don't you .. let me go, I mean I'm useless to you now. " She looked down.

The Joker looked at her. He was surprised for a second. She was right she was useless to him _now_ but he could certainly think of something later and he wouldn't bother with abducting her again. All that was needed was just a wave of his gloved hand and his henchmen were dragging Brandy towards the room. They pushed her inside and locked the door.

" Oh come on!" She started hitting and kicking the door. Soon she gave up and turned around to examine the room. It was a small store, empty boxes were scattered on the cement floor. She sat down on the cold ground and rested against the wall. _This is.. this is insane. What have I done? _Brandy started sobbing and soon she fell asleep..

**AN: So, what do you think? Not much happening here, but soon ! Please let me know your opinion**** on the story, pretty please ? : ) **


	4. Me and my big mouth

**AN: I have no idea how this is going to develop. If you have any suggestions feel free to share them with me. Thanks for reading the story and I hope I don't disappoint you.**

_I can use her as Bat-bait. _The Joker thought as he paced around the warehouse. What should he do? Kill her publicly? But how, where? And what if the Bat didn't show and killing her was just a waste? But she was so much fun – he shattered her beliefs, he proved that she was easily corrupted, even selfish. He couldn't just kill her and not extract everything he can from the girl. His mind was restless, so was his body. _So she is some sort of celebrity. _The Joker thought to himself , contemplating the million ways he could humiliate her. _Ah, the possibilities! _He smirked. What was the best way to hurt her? Physically, mentally? Both? From what he knew about her and from what she showed him she thought she was a good, loving, caring person, who only did things to make others happy. So that's what her relatives and friends probably thought about her, too. Oh, how their hearts would break when they found out what she'd done.

" Oh Charlieee? " The Joker yelled in a girly voice. A lanky guy with a pale face walked over to his boss.

" Yes, chief? " He sounded nervous, but tried to keep his cool.

" You're a computer geek, am I righ_t_?" The Joker asked absentmindedly. He didn't wait for the guy to reply and continued " So I have this video and I want _you _to cut a few parts and tie 'em together." He motioned to the camera on the table and Charlie hurried to get it.

" I'll get right on it, boss, you just show me which parts you.. ah," The boy got distracted as the his boss pulled his knife out of his pocket, looking at it almost adoringly. " – want."

The Joker smiled dreadfully and went over to his henchman to proceed to his plan.

Brandy woke up with a terrible headache. She had been crying for too long and completely lost track of time. Did anyone even know that she was missing? She looked around the small room she was in. How long had she slept? Brandy rubbed her eyes focusing her vision on the door. _I gotta get out of here._ _One way or another._ She got up and went to the door, quietly gripping the doorknob, trying to steady herself because of the sudden movement. She listened but the only sound she could recognize was the Joker's guffaw. Brandy crinkled her nose in disgust. _Why hasn't he killed me yet? _She started pondering. _Oh no, the tape! _She gasped in the sudden realization that he had actual prove of her murdering the Italian guy and that he could do whatever he wanted with it, including send it to the police. _Maybe that's why he hasn't killed me, he'll let me go and then the police will arrest me. Shit, shit, shit!_ _Nah, why would he do that? I mean, he wouldn't care if I was dead or arrested. Well, it doesn't matter anyways. I can't believe I shot the poor person. What am I – a mindless animal?_ She shook these thoughts away and massaged her temple. Contemplating a little bit more she came to a conclusion. _He's going to kill me so I might as well give him hell. _She chuckled at her ridiculous thought. Brandy couldn't bother the Joker even if she screamed in his face. He was that careless, she thought. He'd just ignore her as if she was just a small annoying bug. _Whatever._ She took a deep breath and started kicking, hitting the door as she screamed at the top of her lungs. A wave of courage rushed through her body. _Oh, he'll see, I'm gonna drive him nuts! _In a couple of hours the idea wore off and she felt fatigue quickly calm her thrashing. She sat down and rested her head on the door. Brandy listened as the Joker gave orders to his henchmen and they exited the warehouse. She closed her eyes and imagined Batman coming to save her and kicking that clown's ass. She smiled at her sudden daydreaming, but was soon interrupted when someone pushed the door, trying to open it. She hesitatingly stood up and walked over to the wall yonder.

Brandy took a deep breath as the Joker's lofty figure entered. With him inside the tiny room was crowded. He was humming a familiar lullaby. She gazed at him, inspecting every single feature visible – the swamp-green vest, the blue shirt, the worst necktie she'd ever seen, the striped purple trousers, the worn off grayish shoes. Brandy frowned when she noticed the horrid scars on his cheeks.

" It's not polite to stare." He smiled at her discomfort. _God, his face is going to fall apart._

The Joker looked at her, as if inspecting her back, staring at her swollen face and red nose. She'd been crying. _Good._ He thought to himself.

" S-sorry." She muttered, a lump already forming in her throat. She looked to her left, avoiding his persevering gaze. All mettle she'd gathered had vanished in the blink of an eye.

She was so annoying with her sheepish manners, the Joker thought. And why'd she quiver so much? She reminded him of a neurotic.

" I have a surpri_se_ for my little guest! " He almost sang these words and grasped her shirt, dragging her out of the storeroom.

" I can walk by myself, you know.. " Brandy mumbled indecisively as she tried to pull herself out of the Joker's firm grip.

With a quiet thud she landed on a miserable greenish couch in front of an old TV set. He sat on the other end of the couch with his hands behind his head as he stretched and rested his legs on Brandy's lap. She twitched in repugnance, he was just so.. insolent. The TV blasted with the news report's familiar tune and Brandy's eyes widened, hoping that they'd announce her disappearance.

" Ladies and gentlemen, this is an emergency broadcast. We've just received a video, claimed to be made by the criminal known as The Joker. We forewarn of gruesome footage and advise citizens under the age of eighteen to cease watching. "

She looked at the Joker, he radiated malice.

"_What's your name?"_ Came from the TV. She instantly fixed her gaze on the screen. Her heart started pounding faster.

"_And what do you do, Brandy?"_

She gaped at the sudden realization – this was the video of her killing the Italian guy. He showed it on national TV, so that not only the police, but everyone who watched the news would know what she did.

" No.. " Brandy whispered regretfully. She watched as the Joker tossed her the gun.

" _He has to be punished! And seeing that you're the only good person here, it's only fair that you do it_._"_

He didn't only send the video to the TV station, he cut the most significant parts to his liking just to make her look like she was willingly murdering the guy. Brandy felt sick, her vision was getting blurry as tears ran down her pale face.

_**BANG!**_ And with that the man was dead.

The Joker watched every emotion on Brandy's face, enjoying each step of her mental breakdown. She stood up, pushing his legs as she did it, turning to face him. She was breathing heavily, her hands were clenched into small fists and her whole body was shaking. Her figure resembled a tiny volcano ready to erupt.

" I-I can't believe you'd do s-such a thing! Do you think this is funny? What kind of sick, perverse pleasure do you get from this? Who are you to.. to break all moral laws of humanity, to tread on something as fragile as dignity? " Her voice cracked a few times. "What is you problem really? It's not the fricking scars, cause oh, guess what, you're NOT the first person to have scars! Or perhaps a painful childhood – well boo hoo, but you're not the first nor the last! So what the hell's wrong with you?" Her words pierced the awkward tension between them.

The Joker raised a brow and slowly stood up from the couch. He walked with a warped waltz gait, dragging his feet in an uneven tact. Brandy stepped back, swallowing hard. She emitted a low shriek when she reached the wall. He clutched her throat, making her choke and gasp for air. She started scratching him and tried to kick him but he trod on her feet.

"_Nothing_.. nothing is wrong with me." The Joker growled in her face and tightened his grip. "What's the matter? _Can't_ breathe?" He spat out.

Brandy nodded, trying to steal a breath. Her eyes were red from all the crying, her head was throbbing and her nose was running. Then, all of a sudden he let her go. She inhaled for what felt like an eternity and looked up and down, trying to find a knife or a gun in his hands. Nothing. All she saw was a wide smirk on his painted face.

" Ogling me with them blue eyes won't help you. It just might cause me to _poke_ 'em out." He said in a calm tone. As if he wasn't strangling her mere seconds ago. The Joker stepped off her feet and blinked bashfully at her. " Golly, you're such a _flatterer!_ "

Brandy looked at him in shock. What the hell? Why didn't he just finish her, right there, right then? How could he be so nonchalant?

**AN: Okay, I don't know what I did with this chapter. Can't say I'm exactly happy with how it turned out. Um, the Joker is sort of really out of character here, sorry about that. In the next chapter Batman will probably appear, but I can't promise anything. I hope you guys aren't too dissatisfied with the Joker and well, leave reviews PLEASE! It's sort of awkward to see that like 70 people read my story per day and no one left a comment. That's it from me! Take care : )**


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